How Did Jayden Daniels Dislocate His Elbow?
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels dislocated his left elbow on the final play of the first half against the Dallas Cowboys on September 20, 2026. He stumbled at the snap, reached back with his left hand to break his fall, and his elbow bent the wrong way. X-rays showed no fracture, and he is now meeting with specialists. It is the second time he has dislocated that elbow in less than a year: he first injured it in November 2025 and reinjured it in his first game back.
I haven’t examined Daniels, but his injury follows the classic pattern: a fall onto an outstretched hand with no fracture on X-ray. That usually means a simple dislocation, which usually heals without surgery. A second dislocation from a low-energy fall is different, because it suggests the ligaments never fully regained their hold on the joint. Repeat instability is one of the few times surgical repair or reconstruction comes up. Here’s what that means for anyone with this injury, from an NFL quarterback to a high school athlete in Franklin.
An elbow dislocation is one of the most painful injuries I see on orthopedic call, and one of the most frightening for patients and parents. One moment you fall on your hand - the next, your arm looks bent the wrong way and will not move.
What Is an Elbow Dislocation?
An elbow dislocation happens when the joint surfaces of the elbow’s three bones are pushed apart: the humerus (upper arm bone) and the radius and ulna (the forearm bones). The elbow bends like a door hinge and lets you turn your palm up and down, and a dislocation can disrupt both motions.
About 8 in 10 are posterolateral, meaning the forearm bones are pushed backward and toward the outside of the arm. Ligaments (tough bands that hold bone to bone) tear in the process, usually starting on the outer side.
What Is the Difference Between a Simple and Complex Elbow Dislocation?
A simple elbow dislocation has torn ligaments but no major broken bone. A complex elbow dislocation also includes a fracture. The usual spots are the radial head (top of the smaller forearm bone) or the coronoid (a small hook on the ulna that keeps the elbow from sliding backward).
Simple dislocations make up roughly half of cases, and most heal without surgery. Many complex ones need an operation. A partial dislocation (subluxation), where the joint shifts only part of the way apart, still tears ligaments and deserves the same prompt exam.
What Causes an Elbow Dislocation?
Most elbow dislocations happen from a fall onto an outstretched hand. The force travels up the forearm, and a twist drives the elbow out of its socket. Other causes include:
- Sports: football, wrestling, basketball, gymnastics, and skating top the list.
- Car crashes: a passenger braces for impact with an arm stretched toward the dash.
- Falls at home or work: a slip on the stairs, a ladder, or wet pavement.
The same fall can also dislocate a finger, so emergency teams check the whole arm.
Who Is Most at Risk?
Teenagers are at highest risk. In a national emergency room study, people ages 10 to 19 made up 43.5 percent of cases, and 44.5 percent happened during sports.
People born with looser ligaments or a shallow groove in the ulna also dislocate more easily. In children, the elbow is the most commonly dislocated large joint.
What Are the Symptoms of a Dislocated Elbow?
A fully dislocated elbow is hard to miss: intense pain right away, an arm that looks deformed or twisted, and an elbow you cannot bend or straighten. Other signs include:
- Fast swelling and bruising around the elbow
- Numbness or tingling in the hand or fingers
- A hand that feels cold or looks pale, white, or purple
- Weakness or trouble moving the fingers
Elbow pain that builds slowly without a fall is a different problem, often tennis elbow. A sudden pop with a bulge in the upper arm may be a distal biceps tendon tear.
Which Warning Signs Point to Nerve or Artery Damage?
Numbness, tingling, a cold hand, or a color change can mean a nerve or the main arm artery (brachial artery) was stretched or injured. The ulnar nerve, your “funny bone” nerve, is most often affected.
Artery injuries are rare, far rarer than after a knee dislocation, but they are the most serious risk. Tell the emergency team about any of these signs right away.
What Should You Do Right After You Dislocate Your Elbow?
Treat a suspected dislocated elbow as an emergency and go to the nearest emergency room. Call 911 if the hand is cold, pale, or numb, or if bone is showing through the skin.
Here’s what I tell patients and parents:
- Do not try to pop the elbow back into place. You can trap a nerve or break bone.
- Keep the arm still, supported by a pillow or a makeshift sling.
- Apply ice wrapped in a thin towel to limit swelling.
- Remove rings, watches, and bracelets before the hand swells.
- Skip food and drink until a doctor sees you, because you may need sedation.
How Is an Elbow Dislocation Treated?
Elbow dislocation treatment starts with putting the joint back in place, called a reduction. The long-term goal is a stable elbow that moves well.
How Do Doctors Put a Dislocated Elbow Back in Place?
In the emergency room, the doctor checks pulses and nerve function in the hand, and X-rays confirm the dislocation and any fracture. After pain medicine and sedation, the doctor gently guides the bones back into line. You may feel a “clunk.”
Next come a stability check, repeat X-rays, and a splint with the elbow bent. A CT scan (a detailed 3D X-ray) or MRI may follow if a fracture or major ligament damage is suspected.
When Does an Elbow Dislocation Need Surgery?
Most simple elbow dislocations never need surgery. Repeat instability after a simple dislocation is rare, reported in fewer than 1 to 2 percent of cases.
Surgery is usually recommended when:
- The elbow cannot be put back in place without an operation
- The elbow will not stay in place after reduction
- Fractures of the radial head, coronoid, or olecranon (the bony tip of the elbow) are present
- An artery or nerve needs repair
Surgery may fix broken bone with plates and screws, repair torn ligaments, or replace a shattered radial head with an implant. At the Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee, our upper extremity specialists handle this reconstruction.
For another patient-friendly overview, see the AAOS OrthoInfo guide to elbow dislocation.
How Long Does Elbow Dislocation Recovery Take?
Most people with a simple elbow dislocation return to light daily use in about 2 weeks and to most activities within 6 to 12 weeks. Full strength and contact sports often take 3 months or longer; complex injuries take longer still. A typical path looks like this:
- Days 1 to 10: a splint, ice, elevation, and X-rays to confirm the joint stays in place.
- Weeks 1 to 4: guided motion with a therapist, sometimes in a hinged brace that blocks full straightening.
- Weeks 6 to 8: the brace comes off as the elbow regains full, stable extension.
- Weeks 8 to 12 and beyond: strengthening and a gradual return to sport.
Why Does Early Motion Matter After an Elbow Dislocation?
Keeping the elbow still for more than 3 weeks is linked with worse final motion. In a trial of 100 adults with simple dislocations, those who moved early had less disability at 6 weeks than those kept in a cast. None dislocated again.
That’s why I push patients to start therapy as soon as their surgeon clears them.
Will My Elbow Ever Straighten All the Way?
Some people never fully straighten the injured elbow; losing the last few degrees is the most common problem after a simple dislocation. In a long-term study of 110 adults, more than half noticed some stiffness or aching years later, yet most rated their elbow function highly.
The therapy work in the first 6 weeks shapes the elbow you live with. The Orthopaedic Trauma Association offers patient therapy videos for this phase.
Can an Old Elbow Dislocation Cause Arthritis Later?
Yes. Arthritis risk rises when the bones heal out of alignment, the elbow moves poorly, or it keeps dislocating.
After more than twenty years in practice, I see patients every week whose hip or knee arthritis traces back to an old injury. The elbow follows the same rules: protecting alignment and motion now lowers the odds of trouble later.
When Should You Call Your Doctor After an Elbow Dislocation?
Call your doctor or return to the emergency room right away if you notice:
- New numbness, tingling, or weakness in the hand
- A cold, pale, or bluish hand or fingers
- Pain that keeps rising despite medicine, or a forearm that feels tight and hard
- A feeling that the elbow slipped out again
- Fever, redness, or drainage after surgery
Severe, rising pain with a tight forearm can signal compartment syndrome, a dangerous pressure buildup in the muscles that needs emergency care. Stiffness that stops improving with therapy also deserves a visit.
Where Can You Get Care for an Elbow Injury in Middle Tennessee?
For a new elbow dislocation, go to the nearest emergency room or call 911. For follow-up care, the Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee treats patients from Franklin, Nashville, Columbia, and across Middle Tennessee. Imaging, rehab, and upper extremity specialists are under one roof.
To book a follow-up visit, call (615) 791-2630. Our office is at 3000 Edward Curd Lane, Franklin, TN 37067. Learn more about our practice and locations and hours.
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. A suspected elbow dislocation needs emergency care. Individual results may vary.
References
- Stoneback JW, Owens BD, Sykes J, Athwal GS, Pointer L, Wolf JM. Incidence of elbow dislocations in the United States population. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2012;94(3):240-245.
- Anakwe RE, Middleton SD, Jenkins PJ, McQueen MM, Court-Brown CM. Patient-reported outcomes after simple dislocation of the elbow. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2011;93(13):1220-1226.
- Iordens GIT, Van Lieshout EMM, Schep NWL, et al. Early mobilisation versus plaster immobilisation of simple elbow dislocations: results of the FuncSiE multicentre randomised clinical trial. Br J Sports Med. 2017;51(6):531-538.
- Gottlieb M. Managing elbow dislocations. Ann Emerg Med. 2022;80(5):460-464.
- Layson J, Best BJ. Elbow dislocation. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2023.
